Bean and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas.

If I ever had to sit down and make a master list of favorite foods, quesadillas would definitely make the top ten, if not the top 5. I just love how versatile they are – any kind of meat, any and all kinds of veggies, and of course, beautiful wonderful cheese. While a good quesadilla can be made with any number of cheeses, my money is on chihuahua cheese for spot numero uno. It’s perfectly melty, and its flavor isn’t overpowering but instead makes an awesome background flavor to whatever the “meat” of the quesadilla is. I say “meat” with quotes around it because this recipe actually doesn’t have any meat in it! Instead, it has flavor-packed sweet caramelized onions and pinto beans, with just a bit of cilantro. So simple, but so good. And some avocado on the side, to do what it does best: make everything better.

First, heat a drizzle of olive oil and a pat of butter over high heat. Add the sliced onions and a bit of salt to help them release some moisture, and stir to coat.

Once they’ve started to soften, turn the heat down to low and continue to cook, stirring every few minutes. You can let them caramelize as log as you like – anywhere from 15 minutes to half an hour.

Once the onions are done to your liking, start assembling the quesadillas. I like to make my quesadillas with one tortilla folded in half, rather than with two tortillas one on top of the other. So I fill just half – first a layer of cheese, and then the onions.

Next come the beans, and a sprinkle of cilantro. I only had dried so you can barely see it – but it’s there!

Now fold the tortillas over so that they form a little envelope, and cook them in a hot pan or quesadilla maker, if you’re lucky enough to have one of these awesome machines. When one side is browned, turn them over and brown the other side. You want the fillings hot and the cheese good and melty.

2 thoughts on “Bean and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas.”

This was such a tasty lunch! I got lucky, and Kell shared with me even though I didn’t line up to “order” one. The flavored blended so well and I loved every nite! Great take on the traditional Kell. Thank You!

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About Me

Kelly in the Kitchen

I’m Kelly, Chicago-based home cook & amateur recipe developer. I cook & bake like it’s my job (it’s not), and I collect all my best recipes here on Kelly in the Kitchen. I believe in the age-old eating philosophy of “everything in moderation, including moderation,” so I cook a bit of everything: lower-sugar & lower-carbohydrate stuff, gluten-free, paleo, vegan or vegetarian dishes, guilty pleasures and sweet indulgences.